Restore Iowa public schools to help kids

If you ask a Republican state legislator to characterize the stereotypical librarian, apparently he'd describe a smarmy purveyor of pornography who cannot be trusted. In contrast, I (and I think almost everybody else) would imagine a nice person who is always ready with a good -- and appropriate -- book recommendation.

I'd ask those politicians to recall when they themselves were young, and how they would compare notes with their friends on where to find the juiciest pictures and stories. Usually, that was not the library; and these days, it'd probably be the internet, which they can use much more efficiently than you can.

Kids will always find what they want to find, and the only thing that several bills now under consideration will do is make that nice librarian's life miserable.

If they really want to protect children, those legislators should work to restore Iowa's once proud public education system so that kids learn how to understand things and make good choices; ensure that school vaccine requirements remain in place so that they are safe from disease; take positive steps to monitor and control water and environmental quality to reduce our high cancer rates; and not allow kids to take guns to school, where they will forget to lock them in their cars.

Russ Lenth

North Liberty